ecodesign

For the first time, binding requirements for the sustainability of textiles are planned for the European market. The basis for this is the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, which came into force in 2024. A study of the German Environment Agency (UBA) has identified five possible product aspects for which requirements could be made and about which consumers should be informed.

Keeping materials in circulation and preventing them from becoming waste is only possible if the design of a product is adapted accordingly. The possibilities offered by ecodesign were the topic of the Circular Design Forum in Berlin. Here, the results of the project “EcoDesign Circle” were presented, in which the UBA plays the leading role. Documentation and additional materials are now online.

Designers can also contribute to solving the problem of marine litter – with the right choice of materials when designing products, for instance. This was the topic of a workshop that was initiated by the UBA in June 2018 with approximately 30 participants from the Baltic Sea Region. The results and specific recommendations for action have now been published.

German Environment Agency calls for improving the durability of products

Ecodesign is a systematic and comprehensive approach to product design that aims to reduce environmental impacts throughout the entire life cycle of a product through improved product design. During the product planning and design phase, manufacturers can influence every stage of the life cycle and promote ecological innovation.

Waste prevention conserves resources and protects people and the environment. It is therefore a primary goal of the circular economy. In 2013, the Waste Prevention Program with the participation of the federal states was adopted. It was drawn up with support of the German Environment Agency. The waste prevention program was reviewed in 2019 and updated in 2021.

There is a huge variety of products as well the environmental impact which is the inevitable consequence of today’s consumerism. Often it is no easy matter to find out available ecofriendly-products amongst the labyrinth of choices. Ecolabels should provide guidance and orientation. The UBA is committed to promote a wider use of environmentally friendly products and their success on the market.